Brendon M Collier, Bank Robbery, IL 2016

EAST ST. LOUIS, IL – Brendon M. Collier, 39, of St. Louis, Missouri, has confessed to robbing two U.S. Bank branches in Illinois, according to a statement released today by U.S. Attorney Donald S. Boyce. Collier pled guilty to two counts of Bank Robbery on November 10, 2016, bringing him one step closer to facing serious federal time for his crimes. The robberies, committed in January and February of 2015, were brazen enough to garner a multi-agency investigation, and now, a guilty plea.

The first robbery occurred on January 28, 2015, at a U.S. Bank located inside a Schnuck’s grocery store in Edwardsville, Illinois. Collier, aided by an accomplice who has already been sentenced, approached a teller under the guise of needing a withdrawal. Instead of a legitimate transaction, he handed the teller a demand note requesting loose bills of $20 or higher, with a chilling addendum: “no alarm.” The pair made off with an undisclosed amount of cash before law enforcement could arrive.

Less than two weeks later, on February 10, 2015, Collier and his accomplice struck again, this time at another U.S. Bank inside a Schnuck’s in Fairview Heights, Illinois. The tactic was similar – a false pretense of needing to make a withdrawal, followed by a threatening note demanding money “quickly” and warning that “no one would get hurt.” This demonstrated a pattern of calculated risk and a disregard for the safety of bank employees and customers.

Collier’s crime spree ultimately ended when he and his accomplice attempted to rob a third U.S. Bank, this time in St. Peters, Missouri. He was apprehended following that incident and, during questioning, confessed not only to the Missouri robbery but also to the two Illinois heists. His motive? A desperate need to feed a heroin addiction and cover the costs of hotel rooms and food, a familiar refrain in the world of desperate crime.

Collier now faces a potential prison sentence of up to twenty years on each count, along with a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of not more than five years per count. He has remained in custody without bond since his initial arraignment on July 16, 2015, and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2017, in East St. Louis, Illinois. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Edwardsville Police Department, the Fairview Heights Police Department, the Illinois State Police Metro-East Forensic Laboratory, the St. Peters, Missouri, Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott is prosecuting the case. While Collier’s accomplice has already been dealt with, this guilty plea marks a significant step towards justice for the victims of these robberies. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing, providing a raw and unfiltered look at the consequences of criminal behavior in the heartland.

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